96 years ago, under the British colonial regime, Jatin Das, a 24-year old revolutionary was martyred in jail on 13th September, after a 63-day hunger strike. This hunger strike by Hindustan Socialist Republican Association comrades was to demand the status of political prisoners and dignity under custody. Today, his legacy and the date of his martyrdom have been immortalised as Political Prisoners Day. However, the conditions of present day political prisoners remain disgraceful, if not worse.
Today, we live under a regime where the incarceration of academics, activists, journalists, lawyers, poets, priests, professors, students, and trade union leaders, that is, anyone who dares to raise uncomfortable questions, for prolonged periods under the draconian Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) and other special acts has become routine. The deaths of Father Stan Swamy, Professor GN Saibaba, Pandu Narote, and many others like them reveal a grim truth – incarceration is not just to silence dissent, it is institutional murder sanctified under the name of our collective conscience and national security. Many more continue to languish in jails under the Bhima-Koregaon case, Delhi riots case, Lucknow conspiracy case, etc. With a conviction rate of around 3%, UAPA ensures that the process becomes the punishment.
It is a matter of grave concern and a farce that 5 years ago the Delhi Police arrested Umar Khalid on Political Prisoners Day merely for upholding the Constitution. He remains one of many like Sharjeel Imam, Khalid Saifi, Gulfisha Fatima and others jailed for raising their voice against the targeting of Muslims in this country. Siddique Kappan, Asif Sultan, Fahad Shah, Rupesh Kumar Singh, and many other journalists have faced long periods behind bars for practicing their profession with integrity.
Journalist Rejaz M Sheeba Sydeek and the unlawful detention of student activists in Delhi is a continuation of a long history of police excess. Even today, after seven years, advocate Surendra Gadling, cultural activists Sagar Gorkhe, Ramesh Gaichor and Jyoti Jagtap, environmental activist Mahesh Raut, and professor Hany Babu continue to languish behind bars in a case where trial is beyond the horizon. Let us also not forget that the others out on bail remain ‘free’ only under stringent bail conditions severely limiting their liberty. In Kerala, advocate Roopesh, denied the right to write from prison, is facing additional charges even as his time in prison comes to an end. Most recently, the inexplicable arrest and incarceration of Advocate Ajay Kumar, students Vishal Singh and Priyanshu Kashyap in Lucknow by the NIA is intended to have a chilling effect on civil society.
The incarceration of young activists of Moolvasi Bachao Manch (MBM) in Chhattisgarh and the subsequent banning of the organisation reveals the distressing pattern of targeting democratic organisations and individuals. Since 2021, Bastar has witnessed youth-led protests against police camps, land grab, and mining. These peaceful mobilisations against armed police camps come in sharp contrast and contests the prevailing narrative of a benevolent state facing violent resistance. With protest sites spreading all over South Chhattisgarh in response to the growing militarisation, the state has been aggressively pursuing a policy of intimidation, harassment, detention, incarceration and finally, outright criminalisation of democratic organisations. It did so first claiming these protests to be against ‘development’ and then branded them ‘anti-national’. This entire state policy and programme is intended not just to crush Adivasi assertion against unbridled loot of resources but also pave the way for a development model that clears the ground for imperialist industrial interests. In light of HM Amit Shah’s much touted claim of eliminating Naxals by March 2026, the role of the bureaucracy, media and even the judiciary has come into question. The Supreme Court’s refusal to entertain MBM’s plea challenging the ban on the organisation raises concerns about the freedom of association, assembly and expression in Bastar as well as the country as a whole. While hundreds are being killed in the name of being Maoists, without independent investigation, in blatant violation of international conventions on internal armed conflicts, and under the leadership of avowedly Brahmanical, Hindutva fascist forces, the crimes against the people of the country are reaching its gruesome apotheosis.
World over these forms of brutal repression are being unleashed on the most oppressed – be it in Kashmir, Palestine or in our immediate neighbourhood. Imperialism and its agents are unleashing their arsenal but, instead of succeeding, their weapons are meeting the most strident and inspiring resistance. The resilience of the people is tied to the struggle for dignity. All those years ago, the actions of Jatin Das and his comrades against the British state were seen as seditious. Today, we live under a similar regime with a new name and even more pernicious consequences. In our fight against the Brahmanical supremacy and Hindutva ideology of the current fascist regime, let us remember this history, speak up for all political prisoners and prisoners of every kind and unitedly struggle to establish a free and just society.
Immediately halt Operation Kagar!
Release all Political Prisoners!
Repeal UAPA!
Karnataka People’s Forum Against War on Adivasis
